Philadelphia Union vs DC United Prediction, Preview, And Odds - 7/17/21
The Philadelphia Union take on DC United on Saturday night from Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania, in a crucial Eastern Conference tilt. The two teams have already met once this season, back in Washing D.C., on May 23rd in what ended up being a 2-1 win for Philadelphia. It was a great three points for the Union, who found themselves scoring at the tailend of the first half to take the lead and then refused to relinquish it. DC United outshot Philadelphia 17-7 overall and 7-2 in regards to shots on target, but it wasn’t enough for the home team to find any points from the matchup. Saturday night will see DC looking for revenge on the road and propel themselves right back towards the thick of things in the Eastern Conference playoff race. For Philadelphia, the key will be holding serve at home and taking another three points from their rivals.
Union Winless In Last Three
Philadelphia has had a rough go at it the last few games, having failed to find a win since their June 30th meeting with Columbus. A road game last time out saw them happy to salvage a point after a 57th-minute red card on the road against New York Red Bulls. Prior to that, another road game saw them lose 1-0 to Nashville, with a 3-3 draw on the road to Chicago to end June. Philadelphia will be thrilled to be back home after the three-game road trip and know that Saturday is a crucial opportunity to build on their third-place standing in the Eastern Conference They sit on 20 points with a plus-four goal differential but with the five teams behind them all within three points of Philadelphia, a win on Saturday will be important to keeping the season going down the right path.
Like most of their counterparts right now, Philadelphia will be without a few key faces. The biggest offensively is Cory Burke. The Jamaican international who leads the team with four goals and has added an assist will be out for Saturday, as will Jack de Vries, one of the team's young studs in the midfield. Jamiro Monteiro remains though, as does his team-leading four assists and two goals. Another player to keep an eye on is Kacper Przybylko, who is second on the team with three goals. Of the team's 15 goals, 11 will be represented by players still in the lineup on Saturday and the Union should have plenty in their arsenal to make life difficult for DC United.
One of Philadelphia’s biggest blessings is Andre Blake in the back. As one of the league’s best goalkeepers, his ability to make big save after big save doesn’t go unnoticed and he will be missed on Saturday. Blake remains with Jamaica for the Gold Cup and it’ll be Matthew Freese likely drawing the start. Philadelphia has a backline that continues to be juggled and while their inability to get consistent minutes with each other might be a problem when the playoffs come, it shouldn’t hurt them against a similarly depleted D.C. United side on Saturday night at home.
DC Looks For Revenge
D.C. United would love nothing more than to get some revenge for their earlier loss to Philadelphia this season. In what is seeming more and more like typical D.C. United fashion this year, they outshot and really outplayed Philadelphia in the first meeting. Even though the scoreline might not have gone their way, it still showed to the players their ability to compete with some of the best in the Eastern Conference. D.C. United enters Saturday’s game sitting in ninth place in the Easter Conference, on 16 points and a positive three goal differential. With a win and some help, D.C. United could find themselves from now being on the outside looking in, to be in a position to host an MLS playoff match by the end of the weekend.
D.C. United hasn’t been hit as badly as some other MLS teams with the Gold Cup happening, but the injuries have been more concerning. D.C. is expected to be without Steve Birnbaum, Chris Odoi-Atsem, Drew Skundrich, and Edison Flores all with injuries. Add that to Donovan Pines and Paul Arriola being named to the Gold Cup roster and this team has quickly taken a hit. Arriola is second on the team in goals and his creativity will be missed but the good news is that leading scorer Ola Kamara (five goals) will be available. As one of the most dynamic attackmen in the league, Kamara has the ability to change a game on its head. Another key player to keep an eye on is Julian Gressel, who might lack some of the flair of his counterparts across the league, but is a proven winner.
Birnbaum’s continued absence is a major hit in the back, but it helps to have the calming presence of Bill Hamid in the back. Hamid, who has typically missed time in the summer for various USMNT tournaments, has been able to keep up his strong run of play and will give Philadelphia everything he can in goal to keep them out of the back of the net in the rematch. Brendan Hines-Ike might be a defender but has some goal scoring to himself too, and is one to keep an eye on if he’s able to test opponent’s on the outside. Odoi-Atsem will be missed but isn’t irreplaceable, but Pines is the big miss. D.C.’s back four does have a tendency to become exposed and Philadelphia can get forward and exploit that, it might make or a tough and up and down match.
Pick: Philadelphia (-115)
D.C. United might have Kamara, but he appears to be the only outfield player of significant influence for a team that is looking to take down a contender in the Eastrn Conference. Philadelphia will be without Blake and a few key players but they still have plenty of depth to overcome those losses and plenty of goal scoring to take the place of the more experienced front group. D.C. United will be missing plenty of creativity and plenty of experience in the back and even with Hamid to hold things down, their losses are too much to overcome in looking to take down a top-three side in Philadelphia.
Pick: Over
The previous meeting between these two teams only saw one goal scored, which was unusual for when these two teams face off. In the previous four matches before the May 23rd one, at least four goals had been scored in each of the previous meetings. Add in the lack of depth from injuries and Gold Cup rosters for each side and this quickly looks like a much more open and up and down game than the first meeting of the season between the two teams. Blake won’t be in goal to be a brick wall for Philadelphia either, so expect plenty of goals in the rematch.
